


The Calm Before the Storm

by hart051



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:40:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29450919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hart051/pseuds/hart051
Summary: Before the battle against a rogue Ai, Soulburner and Blue Maiden shared a few words, as former Ignis partners.
Relationships: Aqua & Zaizen Aoi, Flame & Homura Takeru, Homura Takeru & Zaizen Aoi
Kudos: 3





	The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> It kinda bugged me that Aoi learns that Playmaker is her classmate Yusaku, but just accepts or had learned offscreen Soulburner is Takeru. So here's a little filler for those who are interested.

“Soulburner.”

Soulburner turned around to face Blue Maiden, who approached him. He and Blue Maiden along with Ghost Girl, Blood Shepard, Go Onizuka and Zaizen Akira were in a room in the center of a virtual space created by SOLTech. There was still some time before Ai and Roboppy’s assault on Zaizen through the virtual maze outside the room. All of them were taking a moment to brace themselves, along with giving time for Playmaker to come if he does.

“Blue Maiden.” He returned.

“You came.” She said.

Soulburner nodded. “I did.”

“ _Ne_ , do you know if he’s coming?” She asked. In the real world, Aoi had talked to Yusaku and asked him to not take part knowing well his heart must be torn. Who would want to fight their partner who went rogue? She along with the rest of the gathered duelists don’t know whether or not Playmaker will show up. Other than Ai and the hot dog truck vendor, Soulburner is one of Playmaker’s closest allies and is almost never seen without his fellow Ignis duelist.

Soulburner shook his head. “He was stunned by Ai’s message to your brother. He didn’t say whether or not he would come.”

Blue Maiden nodded glumly. “I see.”

There wasn’t much to be said. They both knew what he was going through and how they wouldn’t be any different if their own Ignis acted as Ai did, after losing his friends.

“How do you feel about this?” Blue Maiden asked. 

Soulburner’s hands became fists at his side. “Angry, disappointed.” He started. “I’m still here, but Flame isn’t. Now Ai’s attacking humans and...I don’t know why he is doing what he is doing. I know SOLTech is responsible for a lot of the pain we went through,...”

She didn’t need Aqua’s truth detection to understand the inner turmoil going on in Soulburner’s heart. Then again, Soulburner was a very honest person and duelist, who rarely if ever filtered or masked his emotions.

“I want to meet Ai again, so I can learn something about Flame.” He managed to say. “In the months I had dueled with him at my side, I felt as though I knew him all my life.” He gazed sadly at his duel disk wistfully.

She nodded. “It’s the same for me and Aqua, Homura _-kun_. We haven’t been together for very long, but I’ve felt what you and Fujiki _-kun_ feel with your Ignises.”

Aqua’s profile flashed in her mind. The level-headed, compassionate blue AI who was based on Miyu. She didn’t want to fight Ai either who alongside Playmaker had helped her and her brother, but the rogue AI is after her brother, for his key. She is going to protect him, like he had protected her and believed in her capabilities.

Looking back up at Soulburner had nodded and was about to say something, then stopped.

“Eh?” Soulburner at Blue Maiden, eyes wide.

She realized her error, luckily no one else seemed interested in their conversation.

“Sorry.” Blue Maiden apologized. “I didn’t mean to-”

“How long did you-?” Soulburner asked. “When did you figure out my real world identity?”

“I just figured it out yesterday, after _Onii-sama_ and I learned Playmaker’s real world identity.” She answered.

Soulburner exhaled and rubbed the back of his head. “Well, it’s not that big of a deal anymore.”

She nodded. “It’s so strange to learn that two of the strongest duelists in VRAINS were much closer to me than I had thought. In fact, I practically saw them everyday.”

“That’s how I felt during my first days at school.” Soulburner’s mood brightened. “You don’t seem surprised.”

“It just seemed obvious, especially considering how there’s a transfer student at school just after Soulburner makes his debut in VRAINS. Also how there aren’t many people who hang around Fujiki _-kun_. Let alone casually talk to him.”

“Except Shima _-kun_.” Soulburner said. “I wonder how he’d react if he learned his hero is much closer than he thinks and is someone he sees everyday?”

Blue Maiden made a face, knowing how Shima would react. “I don’t think he’ll ever figure it out or if someone told him, he’d deny it. Even Playmaker.”

Soulburner chuckled. “Who knows.” He shrugged. “How did you figure it out?”

“At the hot dog truck, I sometimes see him work. I took Onii-sama there for a bite, he recognized the master as someone close to Playmaker and when Fujiki- _kun_ walked by...”

“I see.” He nodded.

“How did you-?”

Soulburner gestured to his duel disk. “Believe it or not my net skills suck. Flame figured it out before I went into the VRAINS for the first time.”

Blue Maiden nodded solemnly. “I didn’t think you were a skilled hacker the first time we met or any time after.”

Soulburner sighed then smiled. “Well, either way I’m happy I got the chance to fight alongside the heroes of Link VRAINS.”

Blue Maiden smiled in return. “Well, I’m happy I got to fight alongside you, Soulburner, hero of Link VRAINS.”

Souburner looked away slightly embarrassed. “It’s nothing, besides-”

“What are you going to do?” Blue Maiden asked.

“Hmm?” Soulburner blinked.

“After this, what are you going to do?” Blue Maiden clarified. “With your dueling skills and personality you could be a Charisma Duelist.”

“Actually, I plan to leave Den City. Go back to my hometown.”

“Is that so?”

“I have someone waiting for me.”

“I see. Family?”

The fiery duelist avoided Blue Maiden’s eyes, looking to the side, then up at the ceiling. “Sort of.” Soulburner rubbed the back of his head subconsciously. “A friend. She’s been there for me even after the incident. While I acted like a thug, picking fights...”

Blue Maiden laughed.

“Why are you laughing?” Soulburner asked, mildly offended, looking back at Blue Maiden.

Blue Maiden stopped laughing, but didn’t stop smiling. “I’m having a hard time imagining your real world self picking a fight.”

Soulburner paused then chuckled. “I’ve changed and so have you, Blue Maiden.”

For a moment, the two enjoyed each other's company in silence.

“We have a lot of people to thank for that. For believing in us.” Blue Maiden admitted. “I know I have.”

“We also have ourselves to thank.” Soulburner added. “For choosing to change because we wanted to.”


End file.
